Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-12-04
THE RoANE COUNTY CRIMES

The Latest Developments Regarding the
Murders aud LynohinEs.
Detective ALI. ". Burnett is in the city
for few days, attending to some legal
matters Of q private nature. A reporter
Yesterday asked him for the latest devel'
opments regarding the late outbreak OF
crime in Roane county, and was informed
in return, among other things, that the re-
port that the Roaue county Grand Jury
had returned lot OF indictments against
people alleged to be Implicated in the
murder of Rev. Ryan and the subsequent
lynchings, including true bills against
Cunningham and Burnett himself, was not
true. He said the grand jury hal met on
the 25th OF November, bat hsd adjourned
without returning any indictments what
ever, the affairs OF the Court being very
unsettled, by reason ofthe late destruction
of the Court House by fire. Detective
Burnett was very emphatic IN declaring
that the real murderers OF Rev. Ryan, and
those who were engaged IN the recent
lynchiugs which followed the commission
OF the crime, would ultimately be brought
to Justice, and said he was satisfied that
Prosecuting Attorney Nsndsl, and the
authorities of Roane county would leave
nothing uDdoDe 20 help him in bringing
about that result. He states that the efforts
of certain Republican papers to give the
Consolidated Band" credit for being par
tisan in politics, for political reasons, Is
entirely false At least one member OF the
gang is Republican, but the outlaws
are in the habit of standing together 10
voting, rs in other things, for mutual sup
port and protection.
Detective Burnetrs theory Of the muir
der of Rev. Ryan is n very plausible one,
and his narration of tine subsequent events
and mis- statements regarding the general
situation in Roane and Jackson counties
reads like page from the most fantastic
yellow hack novel, and affords q basis foi
the prediction that there will yet be a
number Of good news items from that To-
cality.
The following bit of correspondence,
dated at Parkersburg, and contained In the
Cincinnati Enquirer OF Friday morning,
will be of interest in this connection:
"The Grand Jury Of the Roane County
Circuit Court adjourned last night, after a
four days inquiry into the Kaintuck mur
der OF Rev Ryan and lynching OF Dud
and Coon. Judge Fleming, IN his address
to the Jury, severely criticized the scnsa
tional statements made by Detective Bur-
nett and others, through the pspers, that
the lynching of Dnf aud Coon had been
done for political purposes, and that the
lynching party had been composed
altogether OF Democrats, while the VIC
tins had all been Republicans. The Judge,
who is himself a Republican, said the state
ments were false and malicious, and were
an insult 10 the dignity and integrity o
the people of Roane county, The jury in
dicted Perry Drake and Dan Cunningham
for the murder Of Rev. Ryan, but found
no indictments against any Of the alleged
lynchers. The attorneys who were pres
ent say they waited four days for Burnett
and his alleged.. testimony against respon'
sible citizens, but neither Burnett moi
Cunningham presented themselves or theiI
charges
This telegram seems 10 be inaccurate 10
some essential particulars, In view Of the
statements made by Detective Burnett, q,
above.